For a first time listener of White Lies, it’s doubtful one could ever imagine these guys are just a few years removed from high school. With a sound so profound with deep, dark lyrics, this is a group that is already light years ahead of its time.
The group made their Toronto return to a sold out Mod Club for a stop on a mini 4-date North American tour promoting their barely 2 week-old sophomore release, Ritual.
With curfew in effect, the 5-piece made their way to the stage promptly on time and looking as if they just walked off the set of a Gap commercial donning crisp and neatly pressed shirts and not a single hair out of place.
“Good evening Toronto, we’re White Lies”, followed by a near mint sounding “A Place To Hide” from 2009’s debut To Lose My Life. The evening’s set basically consisted of a flip flop of tracks between both albums, in which it wasn’t hard to notice the difference in crowd reaction with cheers definitely more pronounced for TLML tracks. At this point, it’s too early to tell if fans prefer the earlier stuff to that of the new album or if it’s just too unfamiliar being so primitive. It wasn’t until later in the set that the fans showed true appreciation for Ritual cuts, highlights being "Peace and Quiet", "The Power and the Glory", and the colossal first single, "Bigger Than Us".
It really is astonishing how this band can take songs mostly themed about death and gloom and give them such a joyous and uplifting overtone. It was clearly evident with the room bouncing up and down in unison with smiles from ear to ear screaming such lyrics as, “let’s grow old together, and die at the same time”. Caught up in that type of buoyancy, I then shortly found myself in a head scratching, “hey, wait a minute” type moment. Especially after standing beside a grown man jumping around all night with fists pumping and screaming like a 14 year-old girl. (Think 60's vintage Beatles concert footage). Needless to say, it was a sight to be seen in itself.
Tonight’s affair was definitely a hot ticket leaving many disappointed of being shut out of a roughly 600 capacity club. But the love Toronto showed White Lies last night, there’s no doubt they’ll be back in the very near future in a much larger venue to say the least.
Damn, I love this band…..
Video courtesy of Christine Estima
